As Disaster Preparedness Month continues in our state, with WSB committed again this year to nightly spotlights, with a special focus on earthquakes – it might be of value to make sure you’re not skeptical about the whole topic. The experts say too many people dismiss the concept of preparedness, when in reality, earthquakes are survivable. Want to hear firsthand from an expert in our state? ****Read this.**** (Thanks to Cindi Barker from West Seattle Be Prepared for the link; she and WSBP’s Karen Berge and Deb Greer are immensely helpful again this year in providing information we’re drawing upon for these nightly spotlights.)
So then, if they’re survivable, what do you do as soon as the shaking starts? Run for the door?
Here is THE LIST of what to do – if you’re indoors, if you’re outdoors, if you are in a moving vehicle, and even, if somehow you still get trapped in debris. This version of the list is from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Read that, know it, share it. (And once you have all that down – read the other summaries linked from that page, like what to do AFTER a quake.)
NIGHTLY REMINDERS: Know your nearest Neighborhood Emergency Communication Hub – go here to find it (and if there’s not one nearby, help make one happen!) … Make plans to be at the preparedness-training session that West Seattle Be Prepared is presenting this Thursday, 6-7:30 pm at the Senior Center in The Junction … And check out the “3 To Get Ready” campaign, which is sponsoring WSB during Disaster Preparedness Month again this year. This time around, they’re offering a contest as incentive for you to take their “Preparedness Challenge” – check it out here … Our archive of preparedness coverage on WSB, newest to oldest, is here.
It wasn’t even remotely as emotional a closure as another one in West Seattle a few hours earlier, but the original location of the WS Tool Library shut down at 5 pm Sunday. Right before 5, we found Micah(photo right) in the old location at South Seattle Community College; a few minutes later, we found Patrick (photo left) in the new one at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. The “tool migration” happens later this week, but in the meantime, Patrick and others are still putting finishing touches on the new space – the room where we photographed him will host workshops and training in tool use (so you can not only borrow tools, you can learn how to use them), while the storage area will be right next door; this is on the northeast side of Youngstown. For full details on the move, and next Saturday’s 9 am grand opening, check out the official news release here.
GREENLIFE AT WEST SEATTLE SUMMER FEST – APPLY NOW! SWS is also now taking applications for exhibitors at its GreenLife expo that will be part of West Seattle Summer Fest again this year, co-hosted by West Seattle Nursery. SWS says this will be its one and only “annual sustainability festival” for this year. Full details are on the SWS website as well as the application form. Summer Fest (with co-sponsors including WSB) is set this year for July 8, 9, and 10 in The Junction.
At Arbor Heights Elementary, they don’t call it an assembly – they call it the “Monday Morning Meeting.” And this morning – after celebrations of recent classroom achievements (including preparations for the upcoming Young Authors Day as well as this week’s birthdays) – the meeting included a bonus celebration. Arbor Heights principal Dr. Carol Coram mused for a moment on the nature of “community service” before bringing up a guest who was there to thank AH students who, along with the PTSA, reached out to help Mary’s Place, a program for homeless and “formerly homeless” women and children. Take two minutes to watch our edited video highlights of the presentation that led to several hearty rounds of applause. (P.S. Mary’s Place needs non-monetary help too – donated health care, in particular.)
Thanks to your great coverage, I do know we have coyotes in WSeattle, but this is the first time I’ve seen one here myself. I live at the end of Webster off of Delridge and I got to my patio this morning just in time to see a coyote departing, loping along the property line. Makes me glad my cat’s always been an indoor cat! Just thought I’d pass the sighting along.
5:20 PM: Thanks to the WSB’ers who sent messages to say police have Delridge blocked off at Findlay. We’ve just arrived on the scene and will have more info shortly.
5:33 PM UPDATE: Delridge is open again. Southwest Precinct Lt. Ron Smith explains that “traffic was held” for a time after police stopped a car that had a felony arrest warrant associated with someone inside; he said the decision was made to stop traffic because of “the number of subjects in the vehicle.”
Three items in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon, starting with a stolen car to watch for. From Basil:
My 1984 Subaru 4WD wagon, (license plate) # 860SEP, light blue, with freshly painted white spoked rims and front bumper guard, was stolen from in front of my house this a.m. I live in the 5000 block of SW Olga St. If anyone sees it in the area please call the police (911).
After the jump – a WSB Forums member’s report of car prowling reported to police early today (and what happened when police responded), plus arraignment for two of the suspects in last month’s medical-marijuana-dispensary heist:Read More
(“After” rendering from the “before and after” drawings by Fuller Sears Architects)
Quick note from this afternoon’s City Councilmeeting: Councilmembers gave unanimous final approval to the changes in the Admiral Safeway project (79 apartments instead of 35 plus flex-work spaces), which the city considered a “minor” amendment to the plan. As first reported here in January when the changes originally came to light, Safeway said the developer for that side of the site (east of the new store) couldn’t get financing for the flex-work units after all. If you want to watch Councilmember Sally Clark summarizing the change, followed by Councilmember Tom Rasmussen pointing out that the Admiral Neighborhood Association supports the change but protests not being included earlier in the revision plan, and finally the vote, it’s all in the video of this afternoon’s council meeting. The Admiral Safeway item starts 4 minutes into the session, and lasts about 6 minutes. Safeway has said the project remains on track for completion this summer.
After 2 pm on a gray, drippy day, yet the new Beachside Café was still close to half full when we stopped in to check on how Day One was going.
Co-owner Sharon Bang(above photo, left) told us, “It’s been steady all day.” Some items even sold out – so they’re adjusting strategy for tomorrow. For a closer look at the menu, click the next photo to open a larger version:
As you likely know, the Beachside is in the 61st/Alki space that previously held the Alki Bakery, suddenly shuttered last November. The old awning is still up, but not for long:
Co-owner John Bang says the rainy weather delayed installation of the new awning, but they’re hoping for tomorrow. Meantime, if you want to check out the Beachside Café on Day 1, you have till 7 pm.
Will it be another record year? As of right now, registration is open for the 7th annual West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day (WSB’s fourth year of coordinating and presenting the event). The big day is 9 am-3 pm Saturday, May 14, 2011. Here’s the link to the registration form (registration is online-only again this year). Something new on the form: To further reduce paper use, if you are OK with getting your “packet” via e-mail instead of postal mail (general info including the sign template and how to donate leftovers through Northwest Center if you choose), please click “yes” on the form.
Backstory if you’re new: This is NOT one big sale, but rather, one day with many sales all over West Seattle, big and small (last year, a record – more than 200!). There’s a registration fee to cover coordination/promotion costs – same fees for a fourth consecutive year (different fees for individual, group/business/block/organization sales). If you don’t have somewhere to sell your stuff, but still want to get in on WSCGSD, get in touch with Lora @ Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor), at the shop (4410 California SW – try a Peep latte!) or info@hotwirecoffee.com. Again this year, she plans to open the Hotwire courtyard as a group-sale spot (and if anyone else is interested in hosting a group spot, please contact us to coordinate – garagesale@westseattleblog.com). Registration will be open for 3 weeks – but whether you’re selling or not, mark your calendar, set an alert, whatever it takes, for BIG garage-saling on May 14.
P.S. Along with periodic updates here on WSB and on our NEW (“liked” it yet?) Facebook page as well as Twitter, we also have a WSCGSD website – you can browse it to see highlights from the past three years’ sales, if you want to get a feel for what it’s like – and a Facebook page for WSCGSD (go here). And if you’re having a garage sale before or after WSCGSD, remember you can list it for free in the WSB Forums‘ Freebies/Deals/Sales/etc. section.
(Photo courtesy Heartland Café)
In the Admiral District, the Heartland Café is marking its first anniversary, and as owner Jay Wergin observed the demise of the Charlestown Street Café down the street, he decided to try to help fill a bit of the void:
With the latest news on the Charlestown Cafe closing its doors, we have come to realize that there will be a void to fill when it comes to good old fashioned American food. We have had many request to open our doors earlier as a result of the closure. Starting tomorrow, we will be open for breakfast Tue-Sun starting at 6:30 am. We serve breakfast until 4 pm. We are closed Mondays until 3 pm for cleaning and maintenance.
Previously, breakfast at the Heartland started at 8 am. They’re at 4210 SW Admiral Way.
Dozens of special young visitors were at West Seattle Food Bank headquarters this morning – to celebrate something they helped create: Listening to Food Bank executive director Fran Yeatts are Lakeside School sixth-graders who collaborated with West Seattle Elementary fourth-graders to create new mosaics unveiled today – here’s a closer look:
The art celebration is part of a big, busy springtime for the food bank – the annual Instruments of Change benefit is just a month away, and the WS Food Bank has news about that:
The West Seattle Food Bank would like to send a very big thank you to all that have signed on as sponsors for the Instruments of Change fundraiser coming up on Friday, May 6th, 2011 at The Hall at Fauntleroy.
The Food Bank has received its largest single sponsorship to date from Jackson, Morgan & Hunt [WSB sponsor]. The West Seattle accounting firm has generously signed on as a $5,000 “Community Humanitarian” sponsor. Charles Morgan CPA, Managing Partner, stated they upped their sponsorship because we know that a lot more people are having to use the food bank’s services.
Last year families visited the agency 37,396 times, a fifty percent increase in the past several years. “We are very grateful to Jackson, Morgan & Hunt and all the other sponsors (including WSB) that are helping to make this event a success,” said WSFB Executive Director Fran Yeatts.
King County Executive Dow Constantine is the keynote speaker at this 4th annual Instruments of Change – the West Seattle Food Bank’s largest fundraising event of the year. The event also features a cocktail hour, live music and a Dessert Dash.
Tickets are selling fast. Those interested in buying event tickets or being an Instruments of Change sponsor can contact Anna Guitchounts at 206-932-9023 or at anna@westseattlefoodbank.org. Individual tickets are $75 and sponsorship levels begin at $500. Individual tickets can also be purchased through brownpapertickets.com at .
This morning’s photo is courtesy of Lisa Stencel – on a morning when the grayness is back, a different viewpoint on water! Meantime, highlights from the WSB West Seattle Events calendar:
BEACHSIDE CAFE´OPENING DAY: New owners have reopened the old Alki Bakery space as of 7 am today (here’s what they’re offering).
WEST SEATTLE LITTLE LEAGUE: The league‘s first games are scheduled today.
PAJAMA DRIVE FOR FOSTER KIDS: Sleep Country USA starts collecting them today – their local outlet is in Westwood Village, just south of Eats Market Café.
LIBRARY STORY TIME: The High Point Library has a Family Story Time on Mondays at 7 pm! All families are welcome to enjoy songs, rhymes, games, and books. (More info here)
ADMIRAL SAFEWAY:Seattle City Council will consider Admiral Safeway agreement changes because of the project change, doubling the number of residential units – 2 pm meeting.
The call that went out this past half-hour as a “car fire” turned out to be a bus fire. Passengers on board a Metro bus southbound on Fauntleroy Way got an extra jolt to start their Monday – they had to evacuate their bus while firefighters handled the situation. One passenger told WSB they didn’t know anything was wrong until the driver pulled over at the north end of Lincoln Park and said, “Everybody off the bus!” Nobody was hurt; no major smoke/flames. (We’re checking which bus route – the display boards on the bus were all turned off while we were on scene.) 8:28 AM UPDATE: Linda Thielke with King County DOT says it was a 54, and the bus has been towed back to base to be checked out, while passengers caught the next bus.
(WSB photo from Saturday morning)
From the WSB inbox overnight, a public thank-you to the many who joined in this successful benefit effort:
Thank You West Seattle, for your generosity and compassion; you have done it again! Our West Seattle Community Garage Sale raised three times the amount we expected, for our friends in Japan, affected by the earthquake and tsunami. And thank you Tracy, editor at the WSB, for advertising and photographing this event, and getting it out into the community. Not only do we thank all our generous and enthusiastic neighbors who donated and bought items (like little 6 year-old Naziah Hendrix, who donated her Leap Pad and games), but to all the neighbors who worked three straight days, to make this not only a successful, but fun community event. Local teens ran the bake sale ( and brought in over $700.00 for the goodies they and other neighbors made), while volunteers worked tirelessly in the pouring rain, setting up garage sale items. Emiko and Jeff Keller fed the workers home-made sushi and rice balls, and Lori Braseth donated tents and tarps to keep everyone dry. What a contagious group effort this was! Once again, thank you to all of you, who helped ease the suffering of our friends in Japan, through your kindness and generosity.
Sincerely,
Gary & Shelley Lebert
West Seattle Community Garage Sale for our Friends in Japan, Coordinators
Grand total, by the way, according to Shelley – $4,600 for the sale (including $800 from the bake sale alone!) plus $1,000 matching contribution from a company. Congratulations!
The experts say too many people dismiss the concept of preparedness, when in reality, earthquakes are survivable. Want to hear firsthand from an expert in our state? ****
Will it be another record year? As of right now, registration is open for the 7th annual 
BEACHSIDE CAFE´OPENING DAY: New owners have reopened the old Alki Bakery space as of 7 am today 
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